WORD 7

I have been amused lately by the revival of the term “stoked”.  Although I might be old enough to be their father, I am fortunate to have more than a few friends that are twenty-something.  I think this helps keep me young, as long as I don’t try to compete with them at sports!  They, it seems are stoked more and more these days.  I also, noted on my daughter’s facebook page that she is now stoked too about a variety of things.

I too became stoked about some things and decided to do a little research about being stoked.  I started naturally with the question, what does stoked mean? The first source a Google search produced was The Urban Dictionary which listed the following as the number one definition.

“Stoked” – adjective – to be “stoked” is to be completely and intensely enthusiastic, exhilarated, or excited about something. Those who are stoked all of the time know this; being stoked is the epitome of all being. When one is stoked, there is no limit to what one can do. Also, “stoke” – verb – one can “stoke” oneself out by facing challenges or by revving up an engine within oneself to accomplish that which one desires. *being too stoked just means that you’re still not stoked enough*

I have to admit to last part of this definition had me a little confused and I finally concluded that the writer may have “toked” before defining “stoked”.

Although a little older than most of my stoked friends, this experience of years gives me more knowledge to pull from.  You see I actually learned to stoke as a child.

Yep I’ve been stoking since before some of you were born!

A closer look at the word Stoked from a more traditional Merriam-Webster dictionary revealed the following definitions and examples.

Stoked, stok·ing

transitive verb

1: to poke or stir up (as a fire) : supply with fuel

2: to feed abundantly

1. The engineer stoked the coals.
2. The new ad campaign has helped to stoke sales.
3. Poor revenue figures have stoked concerns about possible layoffs.

I guess I really shouldn’t be surprised to discover that like a lot of things in our culture today, stoking used to be an action but now seems to be just a feeling.  Now days we all seem to be more interested in being stoked as opposed to actually stoking something.

You see I learned to stoke at an early age while camping with my family.  Most of the people I have camped with as an adult will readily tell you that I can not only get a fire going quickly but stoke it so it will burn all night.  I find this art of stoking to be an advantage in all areas of my life.  I understand it takes preparation and work to get something going and that it will continuously need to be stoked if it is going to keep on going.  This knowledge keeps me from running here and there looking for something or someone to stoke a good feeling in me.

So after reviewing what I know about feeling stoked and being stoked I find myself pondering a couple of questions.

First, if I am only a consumer of feeling stoked, what is it that gives me this feeling?  I mean really, what or who are you allowing to stoke you?

Second if you are a stoker, and I hope you are, what are you stoking? Is the effort you put into stoking merely a self-indulgent exercise? Or Are you stoking things in your life and others that will change the world?

Please take time to comment here on What Stokes You and What You are passionately Stoking!

First let’s deal with my resolution.  While I really enjoy writing this Blog it does feel at times like no one is really out there.  A good friend of mine suggested I write something very opinionated and see if it stirred up more comments.  Funny I thought most people would already say that I was very opinionated.  Hmmm?  Any way the truth is I have lacked the discipline during the past few months to keep this blog up to date.  In an effort to restructure portions of my life I neglected my writing.  Bringing us to my new year’s resolution.

“I will be more diligent to make regular posts here on the Word 7 Blog as well as my other writing commitments.”

No Excuses! You Jack Wagon!

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Next we will post more fun stuff this year.  One reason is that it is a lot easier to shoot out a fun blog than to produce serious material. Therefore it will be easier for me to post more often!  Ha Ha isn’t it funny how easy it is for our human nature to start scheming.  Sorry it appears I inadvertently slipped a serious thought in here.

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Now for the first of the FUN Stuff, my Review of TRUE GRIT.

I must admit I was shocked when I seen the first trailer advertising the remake of this iconic movie. Not only were they taking on a huge movie but they were daring to take on the role of Rooster Cogburn which was portrayed in the original by what could be argued as the biggest western movie star of all times “John Wayne”!  What were they thinking?

While my kids were in town for the holidays we made a date to all go see the movie together.  While waiting for it to start I realized that while I am an avid fan of western movies my children, now all adults (by status of their age at least), had very little knowledge of  the icon that was “John Wayne”. So our expectations of what we were about to see were very different.  While I was skeptical, they were just hoping to be entertained.

Now it is time to confess that the movie exceeded my expectations.  I  have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, well up to a point!  First let me say that I loved the performance of Hailee Steinfeld and I am sure we will be seeing more of this young lady.  The man with the biggest risk Jeff Bridges turned in a performance that did not encourage any comparison to “The Duke” by making the character of Rooster Cogburn his own.  Matt Damon seemed a little weird at times but I would say this is due in part to the character he is portraying.  You have to remember that this part played by Glen Campbell in the original was a bit strange also.

Now for the problem!  I enjoyed the subtle story twists and changes from the original story.  Some of them made the story more believable for today’s movie goers. But while we were winding down the film and I was beginning to think “Wow They Did It”, and even considering that this movie too might become iconic, it suddenly all went horribly wrong!  Instead of simply ending the story someone in a moment of complete stupidity decided to ignore the stories ending and give us instead an ending for each of the characters.

Why should we care that Rooster comes to the end of his life years later while part of a Wild West show.  Are we really to believe that the Texas Ranger simply rode off to other adventures without ever following the two people, he had just saved, into town?  And resourceful Mattie, she suddenly decided to not see something through to the end because she lost her hand?  The ending ruined the whole movie.  I believe it will now fade away as just another western, perhaps even damaging the reputation of the original.  While I have watched the original many times and plan to again, I see no reason to watch this movie again knowing that the “story” was left without a proper end.

What did you Think?